Chaos: Forty-Eight Hours
by Isabella d'Aramitz
Summary: The spark was lit by the Girl on Fire, and they were tired of the abuses. It all pointed to one thing: rebellion. Chaos: Forty-Eight Hours narrates a first hand experience of the uprising that took place in District 8 after the 74th Hunger Games.


_Chapter 1_

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**Twenty-Four Hours of Hope**

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_"Once the rain starts falling it's hard to tell it to stop..." _

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**Sebastian, District 8.**

I know that there will be blood spilled today. I woke up at noon, still tired from the long night shift that ended when the sun appeared. However, it seems as if I didn't sleep at all. It's been thirty minutes since I decided I couldn't continue sleeping, and I'm still laying in bed, looking at the zinc ceiling on top of me. I'm kind of nervous about whats going to happen tonight, I'm truly scared actually. I'm not against them, in fact, I completely support their cause, but I'm not brave enough to actively take part in what they will do. A lot of people will die, and I certainly don't want to be one of them. However, everybody has to go to the town's square, including me. It's not like I can just stay at home, which I have, by the way, considered already, and concluded that it was impossible. If only they didn't check the attendance so badly! The only reason for not going will be faking that I'm dying, in which case, someone will come to verify it. I hit the bed with my hands. Ouch! Shouldn't have done that… I move myself into a sitting position, now staring at my red palm. Hitting a bed like this one is definitely not a good idea, especially when I consider a rock floor, with a thin piece of clothing, my sleeping spot. I decide it's time to stand up, and I do. I yawn loudly, as I walk towards the little sink in the corner. I clean my face, and with it still wet I look at my reflection in the small broken mirror in front of me. I look as I normally do: beaten. The huge circles under my brown eyes look as if a peacekeeper had hit me.. A thousand times. But, in reality it's just lack of sleep. However, if I want to survive I must work, even if it consists in long hours breathing the fumes of the factory just to buy a loaf of bread. Besides, I can't get tesserae anymore.

I feel some sort of wetness in my feet, quickly I look down and see a puddle of water. Damn! I step back as fast as I can, but the real damage is already done. I crouch, picking the sheets of paper while cursing the sink, and it's leak. Sadly, I look at the sketches that I had drown, now the colors were all mixed together to form a huge mess. I had put a lot of dedication to the designs that represented my biggest passion: fashion. There's nothing to do now, I guess I'll just draw them again someday. I crumple the papers, and throw them to the trash can. Then, I grab a towel, and put it on the floor. I'll have to find someone to fix the sink soon. There goes the little money I had… Moments like this, were anger attempts to build inside of me, I feel the need to fight back, to go to the town's square, and help with the rebellion. But, then I remember that cold morning when she got executed right in front of me… I step out of that little square I call home, feeling worse than before. I look around, seeing the faces of my neighbors, wondering who will be gone after tonight. Will I even be here?

The darkness fell over Panem, and it was time to go to the town's square. I try to keep myself calm as people gather around, taking deep long breaths. I'm sweating crazily, though the night is quite cold. Also, I'm extremely alert, and paranoid of every single movement that occurs. I'm not sure when is it going to start, but I can feel the tense atmosphere that surrounds us. People are giving each others small glances, making barely noticeable gestures, and I'm here about to have a heart attack. I accept that they were smart planning how it will happen, with the short time they had. They used the loud noises made by the factory to cover the sound of their voices when they shared rebellious ideas. The guards weren't able to hear them, but I could. And, I knew it meant trouble. I promised to stay away from it after what happened to_ her_. So, I did. I asked to be transferred to another factory, luckily they accepted my petition, the payment was less, but it would secure my safety when their whole plan falls, and it will fail. It has obvious flaws, they limit themselves to the moment, thanks to the element of surprise they are likely to overcome the current peacekeeper forces, but what then? The Capitol won't let a bunch of rebels take over that easily. They aren't organized enough to achieve what they are attempting, something like this will take years to be completely successful, more resources, and more people. I lied to all of them though, I said that the chief had asked me to transfer even when I didn't want to. I feel guilty for not informing them that their plan wouldn't work, but they wouldn't have listened even if I did.

The big screen gets turned on, Caesar appears interviewing District 12's star-crossed lovers, which I'm getting really tired of. If they are really going to make a movement, they'll have to do it very soon. I'm now slightly shaking, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I'm ready to, literally, run for my life as soon as it all starts. I can't clearly process what is going on in the screen, but suddenly the boy is own his knee. Then I hear people screaming, pushing forward with all their strength, it has started. I start pushing them out of my way, those who were unaware of what was going to happen are crying and screaming, trying to get out of all the chaos. Finally, I'm able to step out of the point of concentration, I'm extremely thankful for being ordered to put myself near the border of the crowd. I run as fast as I can towards the houses near the town's square were I will be able to find shelter from the bullets and rocks, but I take one last look back. I can see peacekeepers are opening fire when my eyes get locked by the chocolate ones of a girl with a small strawberry birthmark on top of her left eye. I recognize her from the factory. It might have been a second, but I could clearly perceive the determination in them, something I no longer have. I have no time for this! I need to find a safe place, and by that I mean my house. I continue running.

I close the door behind me, and sit on the floor , breathing heavily. It's been a while since I last ran like this, I'm definitely out of shape. I can hear the screams and gunshots clearly, the emergency alarm sound echoes in my ears. However, I can't help but feel relieved. I was able to escape from the battleground. A punch of guilt hits me hard, everybody is out there fighting, I should be there too. But, I just can't… Through a very small opening in the wall I can see how events unfold in the streets. People with their faces covered with rags are running from one side to another, fires were lit, and banners with the face of Katniss Everdeen, and her mockingjay pin were hung in the walls.

The situation continued for a whole day. About twenty minutes ago, a rebel yelled in the street that they had secured the Peacekeeper's Headquarters, the armory, and the Justice Building. That gave me a little hope, at least they won some ground, but there was still that bad feeling I've had since the beggining. I haven't step out of my house at all, I still have a little bit of food left. I've been saving for this day since a while ago. Hours passed by, the seemed like years. I close my eyes, trying to sleep at least for a few minutes. Suddenly, I hear gunshots, many of them, coming probably from the town's square. I stand up fast and get close to the crack in the wall. There are rebels running and screaming, they are followed by many peacekeeper's vehicles, the armored jeeps. This is exactly what I feared: reinforcements.

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**AN: I like the history of Panem, and District 8's uprising is quite interesting! So, I've decided to make this. Originally it was a one-shot, but I'll be doing another chapter soon. This character also appears in the SYOT I'm making, which is still in the submitting stage if you want to check it out *blink**blink***

**-Izzy**


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